Hajj, Zakah, Khums and Sawm

Hajj: The Pilgrimage to Mecca

Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. It is obligatory — at least once in a lifetime — for every Muslim who is physically able and financially able to make the journey. Those who are too ill, too poor, or who have dependants who cannot be cared for in their absence are exempt. The pilgrimage takes place during the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah. The Qur’an refers to Hajj and connects it to the Prophet Ibrahim: “And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass” (Surah 22:27, al-Hajj).

The Rituals of Hajj

Before entering Mecca, pilgrims put on ihram. Men wear two white unstitched cloths; women wear modest clothing. This signals entry into a sacred state where arguing, cutting hair and certain other activities are forbidden. The white garments also represent equality — all pilgrims look the same regardless of wealth or social status.

Once in Mecca, pilgrims perform tawaf — circling the Ka’bah seven times in an anti-clockwise direction. They then walk seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa, re-enacting Hajar’s search for water for her son Isma’il. The pilgrimage culminates in the wuquf at Arafat, where pilgrims stand together in prayer and reflection — the spiritual heart of Hajj. The ritual stoning at Mina symbolises rejecting the devil’s temptations, as Ibrahim did. Hajj concludes with the festival of Eid-ul-Adha, during which an animal is sacrificed and the meat shared among family, neighbours and those in need.

Zakah: Compulsory Almsgiving

Zakah is the third Pillar of Sunni Islam and one of the Ten Obligatory Acts for Shi’a Muslims. It is a compulsory annual payment of 2.5% on savings that have been held for a full lunar year and exceed the minimum threshold known as the Nisab. Zakah is not seen as charity in the Western sense — it is a religious obligation, a purification of wealth, and a reminder that all wealth ultimately belongs to Allah.

The Qur’an specifies eight categories of people who may receive Zakah, including the poor, the indebted and travellers in need (Surah 9:60, at-Tawbah). Beyond compulsory Zakah, Muslims are encouraged to give Sadaqah — voluntary almsgiving at any time and in any amount. Sadaqah can include acts of kindness, not only money. The Qur’an instructs: “They ask you, [O Muhammad], what they should spend. Say, ‘Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveller’” (Surah 2:215, al-Baqarah).

Khums: The Shi’a Additional Obligation

Khums means ‘one fifth’ in Arabic. It is a Shi’a religious tax of 20% on certain categories of income and profit — including business profits, treasure troves, lawfully gained minerals and surplus income — paid after all basic living needs are met. Half goes to the descendants of the Prophet (sayyids) who are in need; the other half goes to the Imam (or, during the Major Occultation, to his authorised representatives). Khums is distinct from and additional to Zakah. It reflects the Shi’a theological emphasis on the Imams as rightful leaders of the Muslim community.

Sawm: Fasting in Ramadan

Sawm is the obligatory fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib) each day for the entire month. Fasting is not just about hunger — it is an act of obedience, self-discipline and empathy with those who go without. The Qur’an commands: “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous” (Surah 2:183, al-Baqarah).

Certain groups are exempt from fasting: children, the elderly, pregnant or nursing women, travellers and those who are seriously ill. People who miss fasts must make them up later, or in some cases pay a fidyah — a compensatory feeding of a poor person for each day missed.